You know exactly what you are getting when you walk into Bombay Burrito. It is stated on the front door as ” fresh curry in a wrap”! It actually took me back to my childhood days when we used to do family day trips and picnics in the park. The classic and tasty packed lunch that my parents would bring along for us would be potato curry with a stack of chapattis. These would be transformed into “beerus” which is basically a rolled chapatti filled with the curry!

In Bombay burrito, the counter menu board is divided into steps where you choose the meal, then the curry and finally the fillings and sauces. The great thing about Bombay Burrito is that they have made their curries healthy. They have replaced the heavy ghee and cream with yogurt and minimised their use of oil too.

It had to be the Bombay Burrito and a mild Dhansak curry for me. The filling that was originally chosen was the grilled paneer. But then the temptation for the tandoori chicken was also there. The decision was made easy for me when the staff said that both fillings could be had in the one burrito. So it was a win win situation! All of the hot fillings of chana masala, grilled onions and pilau rice were packed into the burrito. These were then topped off with some raita and mango chutney together with lettuce, salsa and coriander.

The burrito was wrapped tightly in foil and given in a little red basket. There are poppadoms, chips and extra sauces available too. Bombay Burrito also offers tikkatacos which are mini sized burritos, salad bowls and curry bowls. On this occasion, no extras were had as I had the feeling that this one regular Bombay Burrito was going to be filling enough.

The burrito was absolutely delicious. The fresh flavours of the creamy Dhansak curry, sauces and all the other filling delights came together beautifully. Big cubes of grilled paneer, succulent tandoori chicken pieces and the chana masala were wonderful. It definitely was a satisfying “fresh curry in a wrap”!

To drink, the Fentimans Rose Lemonade was chosen. The pretty soft pink colour of this drink took my fancy. Unfortunately the taste was not to my liking. It had a slightly herbal and medicinal taste to it.

Bombay Burrito has red bar stool seating, tables and chairs and additional seating on the lower level. A quirky feature is that the chairs on the lower level are nicknamed after Bollywood actors. It was slightly chilly on the lower level.

The staff were friendly and gave lovely service with a smile. They also recommended which sauces and chutneys would work well in the burrito depending on the curry.

The good news is that Bombay Burrito is open till late on most evenings and has a late closing time on Friday and Saturday nights. This place is a great place to keep in mind if you are feeling peckish on the way home from a night out. Saying that, it is also a fabulous place for healthy delicious Indian burritos for the daytime too!

Celebrations are important and it’s good to acknowledge achievements, no matter how big or small. After an intense and busy couple of months, that was exactly what our evening out at Gallipoli Again was. A time to relax, catch up and reflect on the successes of the past few months.

Gallipoli Again is part of the Gallipoli family of restaurants on Upper Street. Clusters of ornate lanterns hang from the ceiling creating a soft ambient atmosphere. Carved wooden shelves, walls lined with pictures and dark furniture sets the scene for the restaurant. There is definitely a lovely warmth about the place. The staff were really welcoming, friendly and gave us good service.

A feast for the evening was called for and nothing less was on our minds. The Gallipoli Mixed Mezze seemed to have a good selection of the dishes and it saved us from having to make the hard decision of which of the many starters to chose from.

The mixed platter had humus, borek, cacik, saksuka and salads of potato, black eyed beans, kisir and bakla. The freshness and flavours of the salads was great. My favourites were the aubergine Saksuka, Potato Salad and Black Eyed Beans. The Saksuka had soft strips of aubergine mixed with carrots and potatoes. The Potato Salad was slightly spiced and flavoured with parsley, herbs and lemon juice. The combination for the Kisir was crushed wheat, mint, tomato paste, spring onions and nuts. Broad beans with dill and garlic made up the Bakla.

For the dips, there was the classic Humus and also the yogurt Cacik. The coolness of the cucumber and mint contrasted the garlic in the Cacik.

The other main components of the Gallipoli Mixed Mezze were the deep fried Falafel and the Borek pastry. I always have a tendency to like the feta cheese and parsley Borek more than chickpea and broad bean Falafel. Olives and breads were also served with our vegetarian Mezze.

If that was not enough, we had to follow our temptation for the Baba Ghannuge. Although lighter than the Humus, this smoky aubergine puree was just as tasty. Something as humble as the aubergine was transformed to a delicious addictive dip to accompany the pitta bread.

The starters at Gallipoli Again sure were filling but we had already ordered our main dishes at the start of the meal. So after a while, we were ready to sample the main delights.

It seemed that it was an aubergine day for me. Imam Bayildi was aubergine filled with mushrooms and onions and topped with peppers. The tomato based sauce that it was served on was tasty. The main dish was delicious and it came with rice and salad.

Softly cooked spinach with potatoes, presented with yogurt and rice was the other main choice. The portions were of a big size but Gallipoli Again does not compromise its quality of food in any way.

After all the food, fresh mint tea was called for. A small silver teapot with a cute glass was how the refreshing tea was served.

Gallipoli Again really does do amazing cuisine and it made for a memorable celebratory evening. It would be interesting to see how the other two Gallipoli restaurants on the same road compare with this one. If they are anything like this one, then it would definitely be fantastic food.

It has been a while since the Rate My Bistro team have been out together to review a place. Normally, we may just head to one of our many favourite places. This time, fish and chips was the food of choice for a late lunch. As we happened to be in Angel, it seemed like a good a time as any to try out Sea Fish!

Sea Fish has a sort of seaside feel to it! There is the white brushed furniture and the sea blue colours with their feature wall. The dining area is spacious and feels light, airy and clean. The decor with its framed pictures and lighting makes the restaurant feel modern. There is also an outdoor dining area at the back of the restaurant.

When you enter Sea Fish, there is the take away counter if you didn’t want to eat in. The regular fish and chips was ordered. The food was brought to us quickly and not long after we had ordered. The staff told us that the fish had just come out of the fryer. The soft succulent fish was encased in the crispy batter.

The chips were served in a bowl with some tartare sauce on the side. Soft, fluffy, crispy chips together with the fish made for a simple but classic delicious meal. Usually I have mushy peas with fish and chips, but this time even without the peas, the dish was yummy. The table also had the normal condiments of tomato ketchup, salad cream, salt and vinegar.

The staff at Sea Fish were really friendly and so welcoming. They gave us great personal service. When we mentioned that we were going to be sharing the meal, they automatically brought us an extra plate when the food was served.

There seems to be a spate of trendy fish and chip shops popping up at the moment. But here at Rate My Bistro, we think that we have stumbled across yet another gem of a place with Sea Fish. It is a classic, unpretentious restaurant with a relaxed dining atmosphere. Sea Fish is highly recommended and I am sure we will return time and time again!

A beautiful hot summer’s day meant a lovely day to be dining al fresco. The outdoor area at this restaurant was enclosed by hedges, so it really did not feel like we were close to the main road. The menu at The Brasserie showcases mainly seafood but there are a couple of meat and vegetarian [More..]

December 19th, 2014

How lovely to be named Square Meal’s Blogger of the Week! Thank you so much! From Square Meal: “Congratulations to our food blogger of the week Rate My Bistro – a site dedicated to cafe and bistro reviews in London, the UK and beyond”

The summer is nearly here! Celebrate all things food and drink with the Foodies Festival 2014. Here is your chance to see masterclasses done by top chefs, try new things at pop-up restaurants, wander around the food markets, relax with afternoon tea, enter competitions and enjoy the summer celebrations!